tomed to the presence of domestic animals without terror, "and be taken to the exhibitions of wild beasts "that he may be familiarized to their forms and cries." His nurse too must be chosen for her aptitude to the duties of rearing a great captain. When the defender of his country is grown up to a boy, his sports should be of the military cast. Without making too much parade, he should begin to work upon some fortification in the corner of a shrubbery. He must be trained also to a sense of honour, and abhor the disgrace of corporal punishment as a soldier ought.

Such is the grand scheme of partition to be made among the professional aspirants according to their destinations of future life. Religion, a good elocution, gardening, and other amusements, a manly constitution of body and mind, and a tenderness of honour, we have always thought to be good for boys as sensitive rational beings capable of instruction, health, and pleasure. To make cunning sport for them, and defraud them of the natural right of amusing themselves in their own way, does not agree with our feelings of kindness for them. It sophisticates them in the very point where they should be most free and natural. But to delegate the moral qualities, such as a just impression of religion, and a right sense of honour, to a station or title, or a piece of cloth, or to make the slightest difference in these respects, is to confound the essence of morality, and run deliberately insane upon a spurious conceited wisdom.

Mr. Edgeworth has sometimes taken the liberty of recommending books to his pupils, with which we perceive he does not think it necessary to be much acquainted himself. This is injudicious, because it shakes the credit of his authority with them. The first list he has mentioned is open to this exception. He speaks in it of authors "who have most distinguished themselves in ecclesiastical history, and "in the eloquence of the pulpit. Hooker, Barrow, Tillotson, Clarke, Atterbury, South, Wilson, and many others, cannot fail immediately to occur."— Which one of all these authors are we to take as destinguished in ecclesiastical history?

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Besides his essays on the more regular professions, Mr. Edgeworth has paid the same regard to the education of the country-gentleman, the statesman, and the prince: his reasons for giving the title of professional education to his book notwithstanding these anomalous classes, are quite valid. "These "classes have their appropriate duties." The art and mystery of a country-gentleman is among the most fashionable of our country: it is entailed upon many good families, and from the overflow of commercial opulence new members are constantly flocking into the profession. It was well judged therefore to draw out a survey of their duties for this numerous body of men, and remind them that they should have some better pursuit than that of partridges. We are convinced that if they, as well as statesmen and princes, would acquire the virtues which Mr. Edge

worth inculcates, and act up to his instruction, they might be an ornament to themselves and their country. It would require greater felicity of style and argument than these essays possess to invite our criticism to them: but we trust that the parties immediately concerned in the subject will not want such inducements to their duty; but be pleased on easier terms with a cheerful communicative writer who will give them abundance of anecdote, and mingle many good stories with his advice.

REVIEW

OF

SIR SAMUEL ROMILLY'S

OBSERVATIONS

ON THE

CRIMINAL LAW OF ENGLAND:

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED

IN THE

QUARTERLY REVIEW FOR MARCH 1812.